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Characteristics and medical resource use of asthmatic subjects with and withoutwork-related asthmaFor some people with asthma, it's hard work to breathe at work. But is it work-related asthma made worse by conditions at work, or is it created by conditions at work? In other words, what is the relationship between the workplace and asthma? Another unanswered question is what is asthma in the workplace costing society? Occupational asthma (OA) is caused by the workplace, whereas work-exacerbated asthma (WEA) is triggered by the workplace but not caused by it. A study published in the December 2007 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology sought to compare the characteristics and the use of medical resources between people with work-related asthma (WRA) and those without WRA, as well as between people with OA and those with WEA. Work-related asthma (WRA) includes 2 distinct categories: work-exacerbated asthma and occupational asthma. WEA is preexisting adult asthma that is worsened by factors in the workplace. OA is adult asthma caused by workplace exposure and not by factors outside of the workplace.
This study showed that WRA is associated with a greater use of medical resources than non-work-related asthma. People with WRA visited their physicians more frequently because of their asthma, went more frequently to the emergency department, and were more frequently hospitalized than asthmatic subjects without WRA. Also, this is the first study to show that OA and WEA have a very similar use of medical resources. The authors emphasize the importance of an early recognition of WRA to improve the control of asthma in those workers and limit their use of medical resources. They found no significant difference between these 2 conditions in terms of clinical characteristics and use of medical resources. For some people with asthma, it's hard work to breathe at work. Is the severity of their asthma associated with their exposure at work? In other words, what is the relationship between the workplace and asthma? Another unanswered question is what is workplace-related asthma costing society? Work-related asthma (WRA) includes 2 distinct categories: work-exacerbated asthma and occupational asthma. Work-exacerbated asthma (WEA) is preexisting adult asthma that is worsened by factors in the workplace but not caused by them. Occupational asthma (OA) is adult asthma caused by workplace exposure and not by factors outside of the workplace.
This study sought to compare the clinical characteristics and the use of medical resources between people with work-related asthma (WRA) and with asthma not influenced by the workplace, as well as between the two types of WRA: OA and WEA. The study data showed that WRA is associated with a greater use of medical resources than non-work-related asthma. People with WRA visited their physicians more frequently because of their asthma, went more frequently to the emergency department, and were more frequently hospitalized than asthmatic subjects without WRA. In the first study to do so, the authors found no significant difference between these 2 WRA conditions in terms of clinical characteristics and their use of medical resources. They emphasize the importance of an early recognition of WRA to improve the control of asthma in those workers and limit their use of medical resources. |
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© 1996-2008 · All Rights Reserved · American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology |
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